Eurobuild are consultants to a number of large European developers, advising on frameworks and designing schemes valued from £5M-100M. In addition, we are insured to Design and Build our own buildings up to £50M, through various procurement routes. This gives great confidence to clients who employ us as architects, as we have the skills and experience necessary to deliver high quality, complex buildings.

Can we partner with Eurobuild on a specific project?

Yes absolutely. We work with other architects and contractors on PassivHaus projects helping with PHPP modelling and/ or supplying our panels as a subcontractor. Ideally, we are involved in the project from the outset as modifying designs at Stage C and beyond can become more difficult and costly, but not impossible!

What is ‘PassivHaus’?

PassivHaus is a methodology devised by the German physicist, Prof. Wolfgang Feist, as a way of designing and engineering a building to perform very efficiently – typically resulting in >80% energy savings. In fact, it’s seen as the gold standard in energy efficiency and results in the best performing buildings worldwide. By 2010 there were only 7 certified PassivHaus buildings in the UK and only approximately 10,000 internationally.

Why are there so few PassivHaus buildings, if they really are ‘the best performing buildings’ in the world?

PassivHaus is a discipline that requires precision, rigour and seamless co-ordination between architecture, engineering and construction teams. Typically in the UK, the construction industry is very fragmented which is why Eurobuild can operate as architects, consultants and contractors (on smaller projects) and perhaps more importantly why BIM is such a vital tool in PassivHaus delivery.

Does ‘PassivHaus’ cost more?

No. Eurobuild delivered the Hadlow College building for <£1500/m2 including fees. In Germany now, after a number of projects, housing associations are finding they are able to build PassivHaus for the same price as standard Building Regs. One particular housing association (one of the largest in West Germany) has stopped billing for the energy use of tenants because the billing process costs more to execute than the amount needing to be recovered.

What is BIM?

BIM is definitely not Revit. BIM is not ‘just 3D design’. Nor is BIM just software. Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a process. BIM is a way of rehearsing the construction of a building virtually, element by element. Each element is attributed with large amounts of very useful information like cost, size, weight, material type and so on that can also be located in the virtual building by co-ordinates, storey, zone or even room number! This has massive subsequent benefits to the whole construction value chain from clients and quantity surveyors, through to contractors and maintenance.